EFOX SMART E4 review – does the Galaxy S4 clone keep up?

The privilege of owning one of Samsung’s high-end smartphones can be expensive, but manufacturers like EFOX can get you very close to the Galaxy experience without taking much of your money. Enter the EFOX Smart E4, a Samsung Galaxy S4 clone that may just be the answer to your smartphone prayers.

Let’s begin with the most important factor when choosing a smartphone, especially one that is not backed up by a major manufacturer – price. The EFOX SMART E4 costs €137.99, which is equivalent to about $188 USD. Now, is this device worth this money? That is the real question. Let’s look into it and see.

EFOX SMART E4 specs

Android 4.2

5-inch 720p display

1.2 GHZ quad-core Mediatek processor

1 GB of RAM

4 GB of internal storage

13 MP / 2 MP cameras

2600 mAh battery

Design and form-factor

Only those of keen eye will be able to tell the difference between the EFOX device and a real Samsung Galaxy S4. In fact, the only proof of it not being a Samsung device lies in the back of the device. The unit clearly labels the device as an EFOX device, sporting the logo right where the Samsung logo would have been.

Aside from that, you will not find much of a difference. The buttons may feel a bit sturdier in the Samsung device, and the build quality may also be a bit better. Ultimately the EFOX Smart E4 is not a bad contender in this department. It really looks just like a Samsung Galaxy S4, which is by no means a bad-looking smartphone. EFOX went right down to the weight and dimensions, imitating Samsung like a champ.

Display

Here is where you will find a major difference between the EFOX and Samsung devices. Firstly, the Samsung Galaxy S4 does sport a 1080p display, while the EFOX SMART E4’s resolution comes in at 720p. That may not be such a huge deal if the screens looked as good, but the EFOX smartphone is a bit inferior in the display battle.

Performance and software

Now let’s get to the juicy part – will this phone keep up with me? Mediatek processors are not known for being the best. This device sports a 1.2 GHz quad-core MTK6589 processor. In addition, it also has 1 GB of RAM, which is half compared to Samsung’s previous flagship device.

With all that said, the device is actually not half bad. It does perform fairly well for its specs and handles most applications you throw at it. Of course, I saw some hiccups when playing the more complex games, which is to be expected. It runs Angry Birds and Flappy Bird like a champ, though! As well as most casual apps.

With that said, the device does tend to get a bit slow when too many apps are running, or when loading more heavy software. And talking about software, the UI looks just like Samsung’s. It’s actually quite astounding to see the device mimicking all the features and design aspects.

I was able to take advantage of Samsung-exclusive features like Air View, S Beam, Smart Stan and even Air Gestures! Honestly, I was in shock about this phone’s software and the inclusion of Samsung’s features, which is something the manufacturer really takes pride in. In a way, all those “gimmicks” are what people love.

Camera

While this is no Samsung Galaxy S4 camera, the device does output some good quality images for a smartphone of this price. The 13 MP camera will also ensure images big enough for any purpose (for the general consumer). White balance can be a bit off and focus is not too fast, but it’s actually a fair camera. Here are some samples (the one of my face uses the front-facing shooter).

Battery Life

In terms of battery life, the EFOX SMART E4 definitely does not disappoint. In fact, I may dare to say it is actually a bit better than the Samsung Galaxy S4! The device has amazing standby battery life, sometimes lasting me a whole weekend with very light usage.

Even with moderate/heavy usage, the device never died on me in the middle of my work day. I was able to unplug in the morning and plug back in at night, usually touting about 10 hours of battery life.

Conclusion

To be bluntly honest, I don’t believe a phone with these specs is worth €137.99 (or $188 USD). You can get a Moto G with that money, which does offer a slightly better experience. That is not to say some of you won’t enjoy the EFOX Smart E4, though.

If you like Samsung’s looks and features, but you don’t want to pay the full price of a Galaxy S4, this is not a bad deal. You will be able to enjoy all of Samsung’s features, which you won’t get with any of the other affordable smartphones. In fact, in its time this phone was praised for these innovative features!